


Dancing In The Rain

by BladedFeather



Category: Batman - All Media Types, Batman: Arkham (Video Games), Under the Red Hood
Genre: Crushes, Developing Relationship, Dick is a dork, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Fluff and Angst, Implied/Referenced Torture, Jason feels, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Minor Injuries, sort of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-10
Updated: 2016-10-10
Packaged: 2018-08-20 14:05:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 5,590
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8251835
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BladedFeather/pseuds/BladedFeather
Summary: Finally the whirlwind that was Dick Grayson spun to a stop, smirking down at Mask's thugs as they laid drooling into the pavement.Jason's lip curled, and he decided it was time to leave.





	1. A Witch Hunt For An Exit

**Author's Note:**

> I...stumbled...and then fell headfirst into Jaydick hell. It's been a roller coaster, honestly. This is not my usual fandom, and...I'm not as familiar with the characters. As such, Jason is an amalgamation of...a few different canons, as is Dick. I just hope I did them justice, and that you enjoy this oneshot that...got out of hand. :)

Gotham was a disaster. Although Gotham was a _managed_ disaster, the Bat and Co. kept it from sliding into the ocean, anyway. Jason tended to avoid it, frankly because of Batman (they weren't on the greatest of terms), and because the crime within it was like a sickness just begging to be purged.

There was nothing in it for Jason to butt heads with Bruce about that again though, so he let it fester.

Although just next door, was Blüdhaven.

The city itself wasn't in too terrible of shape, but in recent years had been slowly choking on the stream of refuse, people and otherwise, that poured from Gotham and into it's alleys.

And as far as Jason knew, it was also blessedly free of other vigilantes.

It seemed that his grand re-entry into the world of the living had only spread as far as the Bat and whomever he'd deemed necessary to share the information with. He wasn't pleased with the idea of the family knowing, but there wasn't anything he could do about it.

(That was another story, and a whole other suitcase full of issues)

Blüdhaven was as good as it was gonna get for him, so Jason decided to make it work.

*

Black Mask wasn't the smartest villain Jason had ever fought, to be honest.   
He was basically one tiny rung up from an ordinary mob boss. Which was probably why he'd chosen to operate out of Blüdhaven.

Though he was, for reasons as yet unknown, working with the Penguin.

It had been enough to put him on Jason's radar.

Jason stalked through the shadows, picking out the leader as he circled the gang.  
They were guarding quite a large shipment of guns, planning to be shipped to Gotham first thing.

That wouldn't do.

Jason had the shot lined up, taking out the leader first and causing mass hysteria among the rank and file. It would be a breeze to cut down the rest while they panicked.

Right as he was about to exhale and take the shot there was a blue and black blur sailing through the air.

In quick succession the blur knocked the head goon unconscious, throwing lightning fast escrima sticks at the two closest to him.

Jason cursed, and cursed some more.

Fucking _Nightwing_.

Jason was tempted to bring a few down anyway, but it would've been a waste of bullets.

Finally the whirlwind that was Dick Grayson spun to a stop, smirking down at Mask's thugs as they laid drooling into the pavement.

Jason's lip curled, and he decided it was time to leave.

He wasn't a second out of his hiding place when there was an escrima stick flying towards his face, which he easily deflected.

Nightwing hadn't been as distracted by the guns as Jason had hoped, and now had his entire focus on him.

"Red Hood," Dick said, and Jason was momentarily surprised that he hadn't called him by his name, before dismissing it and aiming his guns at the other vigilantes chest.

Nightwing's stance tightened, just like Jason remembered, which sent a wave of discomfort over him as the memory assaulted him.

It set his teeth on edge.

"Did the Bat finally let you off your leash?" Jason taunted, and watched the way Dick's mouth turned down at his distorted voice with satisfaction.

"Why are you in my city?" The admission, knowing or not, threw Jason. _His_ city? Jason would've thought the Golden Boy would've had a prime spot in Gotham.

Jason just decided to ignore his question entirely, instead snarling, "Don't get in my way again," Brandishing his guns in a clear warning before vanishing, flipping off of the rooftop.

It used to be one of Dick's favorite exits.


	2. The Days Are a Death-Wish

For some reason, Jason had hoped that Dick would've been stretched too thin to keep blundering his way into Jason's investigation.

Sadly, Dick was apparently pushing himself ridiculously far to get the job done.

Fucking _Boy Wonder_.

So the rest of the month was a frustrating mess of ambushes that were inevitably ruined by Nightwing dropping in.

Jason still got a few of them, but it wasn't good enough, and Dick's interference was beginning to slow him down.

Sometimes it made Jason just want to shoot him.

 _Sometimes_.

It of course, all came crashing down when Dick went and got himself captured, like he _always_ fucking did. _Boy Blunder_.

*

"Fuck fuck fuck, FUCK," Jason hissed as he jumped across the rooftops, throwing himself across them haphazardly.  
This wasn't his usual MO, the Red Hood planned everything to excruciating detail, or just kicked down the doors and killed everything inside.

The Red Hood did not desperately fling themselves across town to save a fucking _idiot_.

Considering Dick had been ruining all of his fun, Jason had fumed, and then dug down to get more info, hoping to get the drop on the gang _and_ hit them before Nightwing could.

His digging had revealed a trap.

Black Mask hadn't exactly been thrilled that the saint of Blüdhaven was destroying all of his gangs potential to make a profit, and had decided to do something about it.

It had been a really good idea, Jason had to admit, there was no way Dick would resist it, and tired as he was, he was likely to have fallen into it.

Though there was a fatal variable Mask hadn't counted on, couldn't have, no witnesses.

Red Hood.

And no matter how hard Jason worked to hate the Bat and all things connected to him...this was different. Dick was different.

So Jason grabbed his guns, shoving in clips as he ran.

The warehouse loomed into view and Jason grappled onto the roof, staring down into the dilapidated space through a window.

There were a lot of people in the world who deserved to die bloody, deserved to get their teeth kicked in.

Dick Grayson was not one of those people.

Jason rolled his shoulders, and then plunged boots first through the window.

*

The window shattered into a thousand glittering pieces around him, and Jason came down firing.

There were seventeen goons in all, Mask included.

Four dropped before Jason's boots hit the ground.

Mask was the last to go down, his men laying around him.

He pleaded in the end as they often did, tried to bargain, but Jason just twisted hard and let his lifeless body drift to the ground with the rest of the trash.

Dick was tied to a chair, blindfolded.

Water dripped from the blindfold and it was clear that the Mask had been drudging for information.

Something twisted in Jason's chest, and he wished he'd had the opportunity to kick in Sionis' face.

Carefully, Jason undid the ropes binding Dick's arms and legs, and casted around for what they had used to knock the former Robin unconscious, when he spotted one of Dick's own escrima sticks.

Ouch.

Jason eased the blindfold off, careful of where Dick's hair was matted to his skull.

For just a moment, Jason allowed himself to look.

Allowed himself to breathe a sigh of relief that Dick was alive.

It wasn't something he should have allowed himself, this wasn't...this wasn't for him anymore.

He didn't get to have a family, and he certainly didn't deserve anything from the likes of Dick.

Dick was better than all of them, honestly.

Jason had crossed that line of no return, crossed it again and again and kept going back for more. Because he had to, and there was no saving him.

Dick on the other hand, was easy to save.

For a moment, Jason wished he'd be able to stick around and make fun of Dick for being carried bridal style, like a damsel in distress.


	3. Because We All Walk Alone

Dick's apartment was not a mystery to him.

Jason had found the slightly dilapidated building a day after he'd run into Nightwing.

It was guarded to hell and back, though.

So Jason did the only thing he could, he knocked.

_"Put him down."_

The voice came from nowhere, but Jason would recognize it anywhere.

Barbara Gordon, once Batgirl, now Oracle.

Apparently Bruce hadn't deemed it necessary to tell her about Jason's resurrection. (He was offended on her behalf.)

There was no evidence of a camera, but Jason would bet a disgusting amount of money that there were a fleet around Dick's apartment.

The Bat-family had a weird way of showing it's affection.

Jason sighed, and once again thanked his own foresight for vocal scrambling, "Look, he's hurt. Doing that will only hurt him worse."

_"Am I just supposed to believe that you didn't do that to him?"_

Jason actually did snort at that, "Does Nightwing strike you as the type of person I go after?"

 _"No, but he was stopping you from doing what you wanted, inadvertently or not. Plus you **are** a wanted criminal."_ Barbara's voice was steel, and Jason was suddenly reminded of the first time he'd seen her break someone's arm, effortlessly.

"Eyes and ears everywhere. How about maybe you use them properly?" He retorted nevertheless. Jason respected Barbara, sure, but he had more important priorities than being polite.

There was static and then her voice, calm, _"Fuck up and I will call **Him**."_

Jason was not scared by threats of the Bat, but it wasn't worth arguing.

Shouldering open the door that had magically unlocked with a little _click_ , Jason carefully carried Dick through his cramped studio apartment.

There was, unsurprisingly, a secret room.

It was a bedroom and an information hub all in one.

Skirting the bank of computers Jason gently maneuvered Dick through the space.

Unlike the rest of the apartment, this room was completely spotless, wires snaking along the floor in perfect lines and angles. Something for which Jason was immensely grateful. Because the rest of the place had been a _disaster._

Dick's bed was in the center of the space, and Jason laid him on it carefully, casting around for the first aid kit.

Finding it was easy, considering it was open and half its contents strewn everywhere.

It _wasn't_ easy to look away from the picture it sat by. Pictures actually, plural.

Some were posed and some were candid, but they were all shots of both him and Dick, younger.

He had loved Dick so much, even back then. Had an embarrassing and unshakeable puppy crush. It had only gotten worse when Dick had started teaching him, patrolling with him. In every memory Jason had of him, Dick _shined._

Jason ruthlessly shoved those thoughts away.

He didn't have time for that.

Jason justified his saving Dick as just...a balancing of scales. Dick had saved him before, so it was only fair.

That's what he told himself as he grabbed the alcohol and bandages, just in case some of the cuts he had spotted were bad.

The Nightwing armor was intricately made, (although alarmingly _thin_ in places), and Jason knew that if he simply tried to take it off he'd end up an electrocuted mess.

He was saved from waking Dick up by Dick waking up and then _waking up._

Jason found himself flat on his back across the room with a loud **crash.**

Dick advanced on him in the blink of an eye, even bleeding from the head, and Jason managed to roll out of the way just in time to avoid one of those damn escrima sticks, and sprung to his feet,

"Dick, _stop!_ " He shouted and amazingly, Dick did.

Not for long though.

"How did you find this place? _How did you get in? How do you know that name?!"_ Dick hissed, fingers tight around another escrima stick, this one crackling with electricity,

"You _honestly_ don't know who I am?" Jason asked indignantly leaning his weight towards the door, just in case. He didn't really feel like fighting a possibly concussed Nightwing.

Dick sneered at him, "Your ego gets any bigger, and you won't fit through doorways."

Before Jason could reply, Dick swayed on his feet.

Jason sighed, rolling his eyes,"Look, O-...whoever you have guarding your apartment let me in. I'm not here to fight you."

Dick didn't look so sure, but his body really wasn't going to let him decide this one, and it was only excellent reflexes on Jason's part that saved Dick from face-planting.

Not surprisingly, Dick still had the energy to grunt, "Fine, you win this one."

Jason dragged him back to the bed, motioning at the suit and following Dick's slurred instructions on how to deactivate the security system.

Once the suit was peeled off at the waist, Jason set to doing first aid. The damage was mostly superficial, except for a few deep cuts; and it turned out that Dick didn't have a concussion, thankfully. Especially because it looked like he wasn't gonna stay awake much longer, an adrenaline crash hitting him hard.

It also occurred to Jason that he hadn't actually checked to see if the pills he'd grabbed out of the first aid kit were non-drowsy or not...so that probably didn't help either.

As if proving him right, Dick finally lost the fight and his breathing deepened, even though Jason could tell the last thing he wanted was to be vulnerable around someone like him.

Unfortunately, Jason had also popped a few of the painkillers, just to take the edge off.

Jason had time for a moment of intense regret, before the long night of patrolling and the pills caught up to him.


	4. I Can't Fear Death

The morning light stabbed Jason directly in his eyes, which was weird because he could've sworn he'd boarded up the window in his bedroo-

He wasn't in his room.

The events of the previous night flooded back at once, and Jason jolted.

Unfortunately, the action woke the former Robin drooling on his shoulder, who by the way, was gonna have one hell of a crick in his neck.

Dick shook his head a little, recoiling at the taste in his mouth that was no doubt terrible after the pain medication, and then stared up at him through the white lenses of his mask,

Before tackling Jason out of the bed.

Jason was _really_ sick of Dick trying to hit him.

Dick caught his fist when Jason swung back, admittedly not hard, but still.

It took Dick squeezing his knuckles painfully tight, bones grinding, for Jason to realize that Dick's face was alarmingly pale compared to the blue of his domino.

That's also when it occurred to Jason that he wasn't wearing his _fucking helmet_ anymore, or _his_ domino.

He had a foggy memory of taking them off, brain slow and confused about his surroundings.

**Fuck**

_"You're dead."_ Dick snarled, and Jason was taken aback. 

The Bat hadn't told. 

The horrible puzzle came together, and Jason was calculating his exit strategy when Dick Grayson, Boy Wonder, broke down in front of him. 

Dick's grip vanished from around Jason's fist, reappearing in the front of his jacket, bunching up in the fabric so tight his knuckles were white. 

Jason could only watch in growing horror as Dick's voice turned hysterical, "You're supposed to be _dead. We buried you!_ " Dick took a harsh breath, "Is this supposed to be a _fucking joke?_ " 

When it occurred to him what he'd said, manic laughter slipped out, and Jason was frozen under him, completely blown away. 

Dick lowered his head, resting it on Jason's chest, not seeming to be in a state to care about his own safety enough to make sure that Jason was really who Dick thought he was. 

_Idiot, seriously._

For the time being though, he ignored it; instead slowly bringing his arms up, wrapping one around Dick's still bare waist and lightly petting his hair with the other. It was what he'd always done, when he was Robin, and Dick was upset. 

Dick tensed up at the contact at first, but just as Jason suspected it only lasted a fraction of a second. 

Jason held the former boy wonder tight and ignored all of his own feelings as Dick cried himself out. 

Ignoring the hard packed and buried emotions in his chest worked _really great_ until Dick raised his head slightly, just enough to catch Jason's eyes and whispered, "Jay? Is that really you?" in a voice rough from tears, bringing back an overwhelming torrent of memories from all their years training together. 

Fucking **fuck.**

"Yeah Dickiebird. It's me." Jason answered, and swallowed hard. He wanted to be angry. Wanted to be furious. They hadn't looked for him, they had _**replaced him.**_

All of that flooded out of him when Dick spoke again, grip going tighter, "I was there. I watched the warehouse go up...I-I didn't make it in time, Jay-... _how-"_

Jason tightened his arms, squeezing his eyes shut. The explosion still sounded clearly in his mind when he thought about it, and it made bile rise in the back of his throat. 

Confronting the Bat had been easier than this. 

Because fuck, if he wasn't forgiving Dick immediately. 

* 

Jason eventually maneuvered them upright and got them on the bed. Explanation of his resurrection tumbling out. 

Dick had ripped off his domino and was continuously staring at him with wide eyes and a shocked expression. 

Jason was sure that it was mostly from his injuries and the pain meds. 

For a moment Jason considered trying to find Dick a shirt, or some more comfortable pants, but it didn't really seem like the most appealing idea, all things considered. 

Jason was answering Dick's numerous questions and trying to examine the bandage on a deep cut on his collar-bone when Dick's warm hands were suddenly cupping his cheeks. 

Of course, Jason recoiled hard. Some instincts were just too hard to break. 

Dick looked utterly gutted, so before he could lower himself into the well of guilt that seemed common to all members of the Bat-family, Jason gently reached out, stilling his hands. Silently letting him know it was alright. 

Dick's smile was just as blinding as Jason remembered, if a little wet. 

That was another thing Jason remembered vividly, Dick had never afraid to show emotion when the situation called for it. 

"Just...let me look for a second, Jay." Dick murmured, carefully tilting Jason's face, as if memorizing every detail, categorizing the changes. 

The intense expression on Dick's face was too much for Jason to look at and he had to stare at the bedspread instead. There had always been a burning sincerity to Dick, like staring at the sun. 

Jason looked up again when there was a wet chuckle, and Dick was smiling, and _damnit._ His smile was still so sweet, even if his face was blotchy and his eyes red. 

"You got so _big_ , Little Wing." Dick whispered, and part of Jason wanted to recoil, wanted to vanish as Dick took stock of all the things that had changed, all of the things that were _ruined_ about him now. 

Dick was apparently incapable of allowing Jason to sulk, even unconsciously. Slowly, and so very gently, Dick slid one of his hands into Jason's hair, fingers twisting around the stark white of his trauma stripe, "I missed you so much Little Wing, _so much_ ," He whispered, and the look in his eyes was nothing but awe. 

It made something in Jason's chest hemorrhage, and he deflated, just a little, turning into Dick's touch. 

With the hand still resting on Jason's cheek, Dick slowly stroked his thumb across Jason's cheekbone. He didn't even looked phased by the scars. 

Against his will, Jason shivered. 

He hadn't been shown kindness like this in a long long time. 

During his time as Robin of course, the family had loved him. Though Bruce wasn't ever really...hands on when it came to parenting. It felt like eons since that time anyway, and Jason had grown used to the world throwing acid at him. 

Dick's reverent touches were like benediction. 

For a wild, insane moment, Jason wondered what it would be like to have this. 

To have Dick like he'd dreamt about all that time ago, when he was still starry eyed and in green scaled shorts. 

Though he knew better, knew that the concern would wear off, the shock, and then Dick would turn him out, just like the Bat. The thought made his jaw clench, and of course, Dick noticed. 

It's as if he's afraid to spook him, and Dick's hands begin to withdraw. It was the last thing that Jason wanted, but there was nothing he could do about it while still retaining his pride. Plus there was a tiny voice whispering in his head that maybe this was for the best. Probably his common sense kicking in. 

Instead of withdrawing like Jason expected, both of Dick's hands wound their way into Jason's hair at the back of his head, nimble fingers twisting the strands. A foreign yet intense look on Dick's face. 

"Jay. God, Jay. I never thought I'd get to see you again...." Dick's voice was shaking, strained, and Jason wanted to comfort him, wanted to make it all go away, but didn't know what to say. He died, plain and simple, there was no way to put a band-aid on that. 

"Well...I'm back now, at least." Jason quipped, trying anyway, and was rewarded with Dick's shaky laughter. 

Jason doesn't even realize it until it happens, feeling like there's a livewire under his skin, but Dick had their foreheads pressed together, and was taking steady, deep, breaths. 

"Jaybird...I can't. You're here and I." Dick stops and starts several more times before grunting in frustration, "I never got the chance, Jay..." and - 

Dick raised his head, placed his mouth just an breath from Jason's, waiting. 

Jason's entire world fell off it's axis at that information, but he did the only sensible thing. 

He nodded carefully, breathless. All of his tactical thinking and planning flying right out of the goddamn window. 

In the next heartbeat Dick's mouth was on his, and the hands in his hair tightened. 

The kiss was desperation. 

It was longing and fear and pain. 

It was absolution. 


	5. Set My World Ablaze

Jason snapped back into himself at some point, and rested his hands against the golden skin of Dick's waist.

He ran hot.

Jason feels like he'd been tossed in a blender, because he didn't get this. He didn't get to be kissed by Dick Grayson like he _mattered_ , like he wasn't just another soldier in the war.

But there was no denying the righteous force that was the man managing to tug on his hair and yet still gently cradle his head.  
They parted with a slick noise, and Jason huffed out a laugh.

Dick, the bastard, smiled like he'd just won the lottery.

And hell.

Jason knew that this was his cue to jump out the window, run while he still could, before all of this went to hell.

But Dick leaned forward again, pressed soft lips to his once, twice, three times, lingering a bit, before leaning back and shyly asking,

"Stay?"

There were very few things on Earth that could get Jason to refuse that request, so stay he did.

*

When he woke up again, Jason was guarded.

With how things in his life usually went, that was the point at which Dick should throw him out, or maybe call the police.  
He was a criminal, after all.

Jason must've died again trying to rescue the fucking idiot, because Dick just rolled over from where he had spread eagle in the bed and wrapped every single one of his limbs around Jason, who's younger self would probably have spontaneously combusted by now.

It didn't stop what could only be described as anxiety from building within Jason's chest. Like there was an impending storm and he should be running for cover.

He laid awake for around three hours before Dick finally woke up too, snuffling adorably and blinking up at him.

For a long time, enough to make Jason want to squirm, Dick just stared. 

Finally, he leaned over and pressed his lips to Jason's, apparently disregarding their morning (early afternoon) breath, before settling back down on Jason's chest.

"I can do that now." Dick murmured, and the wonder wasn't lost on Jason. So of fucking course he ruined the moment by blurting,

"You always could." Jason internally cringed into the stratosphere at his admission, but outwardly he simply went still.

Dick's breathing hitched, and then he got both hands on Jason's shoulders pushing him down into the mattress. 

Instead of anger or maybe disgust there was a playful, light look in Dick's eyes and in the next moment he's leaning down, biting Jason's neck, "Who knew, you're a sweet talker."

It startled a laugh out of Jason and he gets his hands on Dick's sides, tickling mercilessly. Dick full body twitched and damn near fell out of the bed. 

"And _you're_ still ticklish." Jason huffed triumphantly, realizing his mistake about a millisecond after he'd made it. Dick's smile went sharp and he surged up with that acrobats grace and speed. 

His fingers unerringly found the places most ticklish on Jason's body, managing to wring laughter out of him while he cackled, "So are you!" From above.

*

When they were marginally more functional, and Dick had begged for mercy after Jason pinned him down and tickled him within an inch of his life, they emerged in search of food.

Jason was fully dressed, jeans, shirt, jackets, guns and all. 

Dick was still in his _hilarious_ superman boxers.

"Our options for breakfast today are cereal, and **cereal**." Dick said with a dramatic flourish as they strolled into the kitchen. Jason couldn't help rolling his eyes,

"How have you not starved to death yet?" 

Dick looked positively insulted, "Excuse _you_ , cereal has **tons** of nutritious value, jerk."

The name-calling made Jason raise his eyebrows in a 'really' gesture and shake his head, " _Richard_ , you wouldn't know what nutritious value was if it hit you in the face." Jason ignored Dick's squawk of protest and rummaged through his cupboards. 

Jason shook the box in victory when he discovered pancake mix.

Dick pouted with a, "What's wrong with cereal?", and proceeded slump down in his chair, like the four year old he was.

Jason hit him with the box as he walked by, "Growing vigilantes need good food, old man."

There was a great deal of shoving after that.

Luckily the pancakes were made without any bodily injury and little mishap.

As long as you considered a small kitchen fire to fall under 'little'.

*

The pancakes were gone, and the table was silent.

Dick was staring at him.

Jason was staring at the table.

"So is this the part where you throw me out on my ass, because I'm a piece of shit criminal low-life?" Jason was not known for sugar-coating. Just because he loved Dick didn't mean he was going to start.

Dick was silent for a long time. Long enough that something started to burn in Jason's chest, be it anger or sadness, he didn't really know.

Dick put his chin on his hand, leaning on the table to look at Jason closer before he answered,

"No."

The utter bewilderment must've shown on Jason's face, because Dick shrugged one bare shoulder,

"I don't agree with how you do things. But," He said, and sent Jason a look when he tensed up, "You're not a monster. You've never killed anyone that wasn't in some way a terrible person. You're not just a common thug with a gun." 

Jason nodded, crossing his arms over his chest and returning Dick's stare, "Are you going to try and stop me?" They were delicately balanced, like they were both on a tightrope.

Dick shifted again, leaning back and crossing his arms, mirroring his pose.

"Not actively, no." But it wasn't the whole answer, "This is my city, and I'm going to do everything I can to protect it."

Jason read through the lines. "So. Stay away from you at night?" It would hinder all of Jason's progress in the city, and it was beginning to set his teeth on edge, some of that anger resurfacing. 

Dick scowled, and he shook his head, "This isn't a big city. There's no way we would manage that without stepping on each others toes."

Jason tensed further, narrowing his eyes, "What are you saying, then?"

For the first time, Dick smiled, his face smoothing out, "Compromise. It's a big deal in relationships, or so I hear."

While on the one hand, Jason's heart had basically stuttered to a stop in his chest, his brain was finally thinking tactically, "Compromise how, exactly?"

There was a flash of something that passed over Dick's face, too quick for Jason to make out for certain, but it looked vaguely like hurt. "If we happen to run into the same case at the same time. I won't stop you handling it how you like. If you'll do the same for me."

While Dick had a point, that Blüdhaven was a small city, it also wasn't tiny. Jason had been in Blüdhaven for a good month or so before he'd run into Dick at all, they wouldn't really risk running into each other too often.

And Dick's idea would solve the problem of what would happen if they _did_. Dick wouldn't stop him from killing if it came to that, as long as Jason didn't try and kill people Dick had taken care of.

Jason realized that it would work, and was cautiously hopeful. 

There was just one more thing, though.

Jason's voice was hollow, "I will never forgive him. Not fully." 

The words seemed to hit Dick physically, like Jason had punched him, but he didn't look surprised, just...sad and guilty. So very guilty. But he nodded, accepting.

Jason couldn't put it into words, but there was no way he would ever forgive the Bat for not killing the Joker.

For letting Jason die in vain.

The Bat was damaged, just like Jason, he was already ruined. He had no excuse.

Dick on the other hand...

"I never knew you were there, that night." Jason started, and his voice was soft, "And I....I don't blame you Dick. I never have."

Dick's face crumbled, but he kept his composure. Jason watched as he compartmentalized those emotions, for a later time, maybe never. 

Exhaling through his nose Dick looked up at Jason, his expression vulnerable, "So, what is it Little Wing? Will you stay or..." 

Dick was smart enough to know that if Jason wanted it, he could be in a completely different country by tomorrow.

Jason stood up, and briefly regretted it as Dick's calm demeanor slipped, and real pain flared in his eyes before Jason walked around the tiny breakfast table. 

It was worth it for the look on Dick's face though, when Jason picked him up from under his thighs. 

"I think I'll stick around for awhile."


	6. Hold Me Close, Don't Let Go

Surprisingly, nothing really changed.

Well okay, maybe a few things.

Jason still cleaned up the streets at night, not just making the gangs fear him, but making them _respect him_. He did the things Batman couldn't. His mission was as it had always been, the deliverance of proper justice. 

So nothing had really changed on that end...except for a black and blue blur that would drop into the fight, twisting and spinning through the fray effortlessly. A terrifying maelstrom of electricity and highly-trained efficiency.

And more often than not, Jason would follow the blur home. Where he'd lose himself to Dick's clever hands and mouth in the shower and then pass out face-first on a bed that wasn't his; and then wake up to a heavy snoring weight sprawled all over his chest. 

Sometimes a shadow would fall onto the roof of Jason's safe house, and he'd disable the alarms, letting Dick slither through the window and wrap him up from behind, even though he was shorter. Would shiver at the lips on his neck. Would tangle their feet together on his ratty couch while they pretended to watch shitty movies.

They coexisted, more peacefully than Jason would have ever thought possible.

Nothing was perfect, because that would be impossible. 

Jason still woke up from nightmares swinging, trying to break Dick's neck before he came back to himself. Everything was sometimes still too much for Jason, and he had to retreat, to hide. Sometimes he still snapped, yelled for no reason and took out his anger on the wrong person.

Though Dick never let him think he was the only one with scars, never allowed him to believe he was damaged beyond repair. Dick woke up screaming sometimes too, and sometimes couldn't keep that perpetual smile on his face. And sometimes. Sometimes he clung to Jason for hours, silent. 

When Jason asked him about it, Dick had just clung tighter and whispered into the skin of his neck that he was afraid. That he was terrified Jason would disappear.

They were not perfect.

But Jason never thought he'd get to be this happy.

He was in love.

To be fair, he'd loved Dick Grayson since he saw him flipping through the sky, laughing, but now...

He was in love for _real_ , and all that sappy bullshit.

Despite the fact that it was more than a little terrifying, being so attached to another person, it was the best kind of fear. 

And a little fear was a good thing in Jason's eyes, it kept them all alive.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ....And that's where I'll cut it off. :) I wrote around....9k more of this, in which the family finds out and such, etc etc. I'd be willing to share if anyone happens to be interested. 
> 
> Anyway, thank you so _so_ much for reading, and I sincerely hope you enjoyed.


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